What Is A Tidal Island?

An island whose existence depends on tidal action is called a tidal island.

The famous Mont St-Michel is the example of a tidal island.

A tidal island refers to a piece of land that becomes visible at low tide but is submerged during high tide. Tidal islands are common in many parts of the world. Such islands are connected to the mainland either naturally or via an artificial causeway. These causeways connecting the island with the mainland allow visitors to reach the island by land but require them to wary of high tides. Many tidal islands, such as Mont Saint-Michel are religious sites of worship due to their mystique attributes. Some notable tidal islands are mentioned below:

St Michael’s Mount, United Kingdom

Located in Mount’s Bay, Cornwall, England, the small tidal island of St Michael’s Mount serves as a civil parish. A human-made causeway, made up of granite setts, connect the island to Marizon town in Cornwall. People can cross between the two lands only in the mid or low tide. In modern popular culture, some films feature the island including Dracula in 1979, a James Bond film from 1983 called Never Say Never Again, and Johnny English in 2003. Some studies show that the Cornwall coast including the tidal island might be at risk from natural erosion and the rise of sea levels.

Jindo and Mondo, South Korea

In the southwestern part of South Korea, there are two islands of Jindo and Mondo with a natural causeway connection caused by the extremely low tide. Twice a year, the land pass appears for about an hour, with a length of about two miles and a width of about 131 feet. Tourists from around the world visit this section to celebrate a festival dedicated to the natural wonder. The Jindo Sea-parting festival attracts many people each year with visitors from each island traditionally walking to the middle for the celebration.

Cramond Island, Scotland

Cramond Island in Scotland is a tidal island covering an area of 7.70 hectares. A paved path, across the Drum Sands, connects it to the mainland in low tide. There are anti-boat pylons, constructed during the Second World War, besides the human-made causeway visible even in high tide. Visitors need to be wary of rising waters and should, therefore, have enough time while crossing to avoid being stranded on the island. The United Kingdom has 43 tidal islands that can be accessed by walking from the mainland, including the Cramond Island.